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Laura Loomer warns JD Vance he’ll ‘regret’ it if he shakes Zohran Mamdani’s hand at 9/11 ceremony
The Independent • • nation
Key Points:
- Right-wing provocateur Laura Loomer urged Vice President JD Vance to refuse a handshake with New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani at the 9/11 anniversary ceremony, using anti-Muslim rhetoric and baselessly labeling Mamdani a "jihadist."
- Mamdani, New York's first Muslim mayor and a democratic socialist, has faced calls from prominent Republicans like Rudy Giuliani and George Pataki to skip the event due to his associations and appointments, including controversy over his legal counsel Ramzi Kassem.
- Mamdani condemned the 2001 attacks and affirmed his intention to attend the 9/11 commemoration, emphasizing honoring victims and exposing official misinformation about Ground Zero's air safety after the attacks.
- President Donald Trump will not attend the New York ceremony, opting instead for a Pentagon service, after initially planning to attend but reportedly changing plans due to restrictions on political speeches—a claim Trump later disputed.
